1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to print control apparatuses and print control methods that can discharge printed sheets to multiple discharging destinations.
2. Description of the Related Art
When performing printing of multiple copies, an apparatus that discharges sheets to different discharging destinations (trays) for each copy is known (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-26586). In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-26586, multiple adjoining trays are allocated to a single job in advance so that sheets are discharged to the adjoining trays for each copy, thereby preventing the sheets from being mixed with those that correspond to another job.
However, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-26586, since the number of output sheets for each copy is not counted prior to the start of printing operation, if the number of output sheets corresponding to each copy exceeds the number of sheets that can be discharged to a single tray, the remaining sheets are discharged to another available tray at that point. When performing copying operation in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-26586, a process of reading an original document begins upon completion of an output-bin allocating process. Therefore, the number of output sheets is not ascertained at the time of the output-bin allocating process, and only the number of copies is ascertained. Regarding jobs other than copy jobs, since the output-bin allocating process is performed in a similar procedure, the allocating process is performed for the number of copies.
Consequently, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-26586, if the number of output sheets corresponding to each copy exceeds the number of output sheets that can be discharged to a single tray, the remaining sheets are discharged to another tray located distant from the current one, or are kept on hold until the sheets corresponding to another job are removed from an adjoining tray. Therefore, in the former case, the process for removing the printed matter corresponding to each copy becomes complicated. In the latter case, the process gets clogged in the middle of the printing operation.